UNAM's Katima Mulilo Campus brought together stakeholders to engage female students and empower them with the necessary knowledge and skills.

The engagement was further meant to assist them in making informed decisions as students during and after their studies.

The event was organized to help the female students learn how to handle contemporary social issues that are life cornerstones, enabling them to succeed in life.

This is against the fact that they face different challenges, from academia to general life expectancy.

Local businesswoman, Jacky Dube-Ntelamo, motivated the students to pursue specialized segments of the market for a product or service.

She says such an approach can place them in a suitable position, in addition to their professional careers.

"You must go into business, but if you are not passionate, my young ladies, if you are not disciplined, it will not work. As you sit there, I leave you with a question: what can you do? What are you good at? I always say we are all blessed; we might be blessed differently, but I believe we are all blessed. It is what you do with your blessing and what you have identified or identify that you are good at; you can never go wrong."

Deputy Commissioner responsible for Administration in the Zambezi Region, Magdalena Garises, reminded students to recognize who they are as individuals and what they have taken from where they come from.

Garises emphasized that fear, anger, pride, wrong defensiveness, and resistance to change are but some of the factors blocking one from tackling challenges.

"You are a taker; you don't give. Tendencies to dwell on the past, an inability to apologize when you are wrong, insecurity, and finger-pointing are all factors that hold you back. You go and do it; I will stay behind. You will remain behind; you don't come forward and do something about it. There are some of us who study for 20 years, and then you wonder what is going on; you are stagnant. No matter how important our careers are, it is essential to enjoy other aspects of life." 

A social worker at Katima Mulilo Hospital, Mercy Mayumbelo, encouraged the young ladies to be mindful of their mental health.

 "Regardless of what is happening in your life, how you treat yourself is very important, so you should pay attention to how you feel. You should forgive and forget about your past mistakes. I will say each person you meet is powerful in their own way. You should believe in yourself and be proud of who you are; you should set goals and achieve those goals."

Students were also given the opportunity to engage with speakers on various matters such as cervical cancer, HIV, and other social issues.